Jeddah (also spelled Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda; Arabic: جدّة‎ Jidda) is a Saudi Arabian city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The population of the city currently stands at over 3.4 million. It is considered the second commercial capital of Saudi Arabia.[1]

Jeddah is the principal gateway to Mecca, Islam's holiest city, which able-bodied Muslims are required to visit at least once in their lifetime.

Etymology and spelling

There are at least two explanations for the etymology of the name Jeddah, according to Jeddah Ibn Helwaan Al-Qudaa'iy, the chief of the Quda'a clan. The more common account has it that the name is derived from Jaddah, the Arabic word for "grandmother". According to eastern folk belief, the tomb ofEve (21°29′31″N39°11′24″E﻿ / ﻿21.49194°N 39.19°E﻿ / 21.49194; 39.19), considered the grandmother of humanity, is located in Jeddah.[2] The Tomb was sealed with concrete by the religious authorities in 1975 as a result of some Muslims praying at the site.

Ibn Battuta, the Berber traveller, visited Jeddah during his world trip. He wrote the name of the city into his diary as "Juddah".[3]

The British Foreign Office and other branches of the British government used to use the older spelling of "Jedda", contrary to other English-speaking usage, but in 2007 changed to the spelling "Jeddah".[4]

T. E. Lawrence felt that any transcription of Arabic names into English was arbitrary. In his book Revolt in the Desert, Jeddah is spelled three different ways on the first page alone.[5]

On official Saudi maps and documents, the city name is transcribed "Jeddah", which is now the prevailing usage.

History

Jeddah in 1924

Jeddah in 1938

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Pre-Islam

Excavations in the old city suggest that Jeddah was founded as a fishing hamlet in 500 B.C by the Yemeni Quada tribe (بني قضاعة), who left central Yemen to settle in Makkah[6] after the destruction of the Marib Dam in Yemen.[7]

Other archaeological studies have shown that the area was settled earlier by people in the Stone Age, as some Thamudi scripts were excavated in Wadi Briman (وادي بريمان), west of the city, and Wadi Boweb (وادي بويب), northwest of the city. It was visited by Alexander The Great (356 B.C. - 323 B.C.)[8]

Rashidun Caliphate

Jeddah first achieved prominence in 647 A.D., when the third Muslim Caliph, Uthman Ibn Affan (عثمان بن عفان), turned it into a port for Muslim pilgrims making the required Hajj to Mecca.

Since then, Jeddah has been established as the main city of the historic Hejaz province and a historic port for pilgrims arriving by sea to perform their Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. The city's strategic location as the gates of the Holy City and a port on the Red Sea has caused it to be conquered many times throughout its history.

Ayyubid Empire

After Saladin's conquest of Jerusalem, in 1171 he proclaimed himself sultan of Egypt, after dissolving the Fatimid Caliphate upon the death of al-Adid, thus establishing the Ayyubid dynasty, which set conquests throughout the region. Hejaz—including Jeddah—became a part of the Ayyubid Empire in 1177 during the leadership of Sharif Ibn Abul-Hashim Al-Thalab (1094 - 1201). During their relatively short-lived tenure, the Ayyubids ushered in an era of economic prosperity in the lands they ruled and the facilities and patronage provided by the Ayyubids led to a resurgence in intellectual activity in the Islamic world. This period was also marked by an Ayyubid process of vigorously strengthening Sunni Muslim dominance in the region by constructing numerous madrasas (Islamic schools) in their major cities.

Mamluk Sultanate

In 1254, following events in Cairo and the dissolution of the Ayyubid Empire, Hejaz became a part of the Mamluk Sultanate. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, having found his way around the Cape and obtained pilots from the coast of Zanzibar in 1497 CE, pushed his way across the Indian Ocean to the shores of Malabar and Calicut, attacked the fleets that carried freight and Muslim pilgrims from India to the Red Sea, and struck terror into the potentates all around. The Princes of Gujarat and Yemen turned for help to Egypt. Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri accordingly fitted out a fleet of 50 vessels under his Admiral, Hussein the Kurd. Jeddah was soon fortified with forced labor as a harbor of refuge from the Portuguese, and Arabia and the Red Sea were protected. But the fleets in the Indian Ocean were at the mercy of the enemy.

Ottoman Empire

In 1517, the Ottoman Turks conquered the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria, during the reign of Selim I.[9] As territories of the Mamluk Sultanate, the Hejaz, including the holy city of Mecca and Jeddah, passed into Ottoman possession. The Ottomans rebuilt the weak walls of Jeddah in 1525 following their victory over Lopo Soares de Albergaria's Armada in the Red Sea. The new Turkish wall included six watchtowers and six city gates. They were constructed to defend against the Portuguese attack. Of the six gates, the Gate of Mecca was the eastern gate and the Gate of Al-Magharibah, facing the port, the western one. The Gate of Sharif faced south. The other gates were the Gate of Al-Bunt, Gate of Al-Sham (also called Gate of Al-Sharaf) and Gate of Medina, facing north.[10] The Turks also built The Qishla of Jeddah, a small castle for the city soldiers. In the 19th century these seven gates were minimized into four giant gates with four towers. These giant gates were the Gate of Sham from the north, the Gate of Mecca from the east, the Gate of Sharif from the south, and the Gate of Al-Magharibah on the sea side.

Ahmed Al-Jazzar, the Ottoman military man mainly known for his role in the Siege of Acre, spent the earlier part of his career at Jeddah—where in 1750 he killed some seventy rioting nomads in retaliation for the killing of his commander, Abdullah Beg. It was this act which reportedly earned him the nickname "Jezzar" (butcher), which he carried for the rest of his life.

King Hussein declared the Kingdom of Hejaz. Later, Hussein was involved in war with Ibn Saud, who was the Sultan of Nejd. Hussein resigned following the fall of Mecca, in December 1924, and his son Ali bin Hussein became the new king of the remaining soil of the Kingdom of Hejaz.

As a result, Jeddah came under the sway of the Al-Saud dynasty in December 1925. In 1926, Ibn Saud added the title King of Hejaz to his position of Sultan of Nejd. Today, Jeddah has lost its historical role in peninsular politics, since the historic Hejaz province along the west coast has been subdivided into smaller provinces, and Jeddah falls within the new province of Makkah, whose provincial capital is the city of Mecca.

From 1928 to 1932, the new Khuzam Palace was built as the new residence of King Abdul Aziz in Jeddah. The palace lies south of the old walled city and was constructed under the supervision of the engineer Muhammad bin Laden. After 1963 the palace was used as a royal guest house; since 1995 it has housed the Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography.[11]

What was left of the walls and gates of the old city was taken down in 1947. A fire in 1982 destroyed some ancient buildings in the old town center, called Al-Balad, but much is still preserved despite the commercial interest to tear down old houses (Naseef House, Gabil House) and build modern high-rise buildings. A house-by-house survey of the old districts was made in 1979, showing that some 1000 traditional buildings still existed, though the number of structures with great historic value was far less. In 1990 a Jeddah Historical Area Preservation Department was founded.[12][13]

The modern city has expanded wildly beyond its old boundaries. The built-up area expanded mainly to the north along the Red Sea coastline, reaching the new airport during the 1990s and since edging its way around it toward the Ob'hur Creek some 27 kilometers from the old city center.

Geography

Most of Saudi Arabia is desert. The central region consists of an eroded plateau, mostly arid and hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The western region is mountainous except on the coastal plain bordering the Red Sea, which includes the Jeddah area.

Jeddah borders the Red Sea from the west and the Al-Sarawat Mountains from the east. It has no rivers or valleys but it includes Sharm Ob'hur, which connects the Red Sea to the other end of the city. The Sharm of Salman (also called the Gulf of Salman) borders the city from north.

Climate

Jeddah features an arid climate under Koppen's climate classification. Unlike other Saudi Arabian cities, Jeddah retains its warm temperature in winter, which can range from 15 °C (59 °F) at midnight to 25 °C (77 °F) in the afternoon. Summer temperatures are very hot, often breaking the 40 °C (104 °F) mark in the afternoon and dropping to 30 °C (86 °F) in the evening. Rainfall in Jeddah is generally sparse, and usually occurs in small amounts in December. There have also been several notable incidents of hail. Heavy thunderstorms are common in winter. The thunderstorm of December 2008 was the largest in recent memory, with rain reaching around 3 inches (7.6 cm). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Jeddah was 3 °C (37 °F) in the winter of 1995.

Pollution and environment

Air pollution is an issue for Jeddah, particularly on hot summer days. The city has experienced bush fires, landfill fires, and pollution from the two industrial zones in the north and the south of Jeddah.

The water treatment factory and the seaport contribute to water pollution. However, the coast of the city can be considered safe and of relatively clean quality.

Economy

The city's geographical location places it at the heart of the region covered by the Middle East and North Africa, with all their capitals within two hours flying distance, defining Jeddah as the second commercial center of the Middle East after Riyadh.[15]

Also, Jeddah's industrial district is the fourth largest industrial city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh, Jubail and Yanbu.

King Abdullah Street

King Abdullah Street is an important place for companies' offices and commercial developments. The street hosts some of the most powerful conglomerates in Saudi Arabia, such as Emaar Middle East and Al-Farsi. Due to the economic boom in this region, there is a central business district planned, which would be one of the biggest CBDs in the eastern world.

Demographics

Popular Saudi and foreign opinion regards Jeddah as the most liberal and cosmopolitan of Saudi cities due to its historic role as port and gateway to the holy city of Mecca. For over one thousand years, Jeddah has received millions of pilgrims of different ethnicities and backgrounds, from Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East, some of whom remained and became residents of the city. As a result, Jeddah is much more ethnically diverse than most Saudi cities and its culture more eclectic in nature (in contrast with the more geographically isolated and religiously strict capital, Riyadh). Adding to the traditional diversity, the oil boom of the past 50 years has brought hundreds of thousands of working immigrants and foreign workers from non-Muslim countries, the majority originating from continents such as North America (United States of America), Europe (Western Europe), and Asia (South and South-East Asia). There are also many Christian Arabs from the Middle East,[citation needed] coming from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and the West Bank and Gaza.[citation needed].

Districts

The following is a list of districts in Jeddah (transliterated from Arabic):

Culture

Religious significance

A lady from Jeddah. This photograph, taken in 1873, shows an example of traditional women's clothing of the past.

The vast majority of Jeddans are Sunni Muslims, with a minority of Shia Muslims, and Asian, Western, and Arab Christians.[citation needed] There are also non-Muslim/non-Christian Asians. There are no non-Muslim citizens; while there are Muslims who are not citizens, all non-Muslims are resident expatriate workers. The city has over 1,300 mosques,[16] and has no churches, synagogues, or other types of places of worship; non-Muslims are strictly prohibited from celebrating their religion openly in any way. However, some Filipino workers report the presence of churches inside some gated communities.[citation needed]

Since the 7th century, Jeddah has hosted millions of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world on their way to Hajj. This merge with pilgrims has a major impact on the society, religion, and economy of Jeddah.

There is a ban on alcohol and narcotics throughout the kingdom. Anyone found to be involved in usage or handling of alcohol or narcotics is severely punished under the "Saudi Rule Of Law" (which is derived mainly from Islamic Sharia).

All business activities and markets are closed five times a day, during prayer times.

The court and justice system of Saudi Arabia follow Islamic codes.

Cultural projects and foundations with a branch in Jeddah

Encyclopaedia of Makkah and Madinah

Saqifat al-Safa Trust

Cuisine

Jeddah residents are a mix of several different ethnicities and nationalities. This mixture of races has had a major impact on Jeddah's traditional cuisine.

As in other Saudi cities, the Nejdi dish Kabsa is popular among the people of Jeddah, often made with chicken instead of lamb meat. The Yemeni dish Mandi is also popular as a lunch meal. Hijazi cuisine is popular as well and dishes like Mabshoor, Mitabbak, Foul, Areika, Hareisa, Kabab Meiroo, Shorabah Hareira (Hareira soup), Migalgal, Madhbi (chicken grilled on stone), Madfun (literally meaning "buried"), Magloobah, Kibdah, Manzalah (usually eaten at Eid ul-Fitr), Ma'asoob, Magliya (a Hijazi version of falafel), Saleeig (a Hijazi dish made of milk rice), hummus, Biryani, Ruz Kabli, Ruz Bukhari, and Saiyadyia can be acquired in many traditional restaurants around the city, such as Althamrat, Abo-Zaid, Al-Quarmooshi, Ayaz, and Hejaziyat.

Grilled meat dishes such as shawarma, kofta and kebab have a good market in Jeddah. During Ramadan, sambousak and ful are the most popular meals during dusk. These meals are found in Lebanese, Syrian, and Turkish restaurants.

International food is popular in the city. American chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, Domino's Pizza and KFC are widely distributed in Jeddah, as are more upscale chains like Fuddruckers and Chili's. Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian foods are also popular. Italian, French, and other European restaurants are found throughout the city.

The local fast food chain Al Baik remains the pioneer though. It has served the population of Jeddah and the neighbouring cities of Makkah, Madinah and Yanbu for a couple of decades now and nobody in the market has been able to compete with it. Their main cuisine is fried chicken, commonly known by Jeddans as Brost, and a variety of seafood.[17]

Other local fast food restaurants have sprung up, like Al Tazaj, which serves seasoned grilled chicken (called Farooj) and a side of Tahina with onion and spices. Foulameez serves Foul and Tameez as fast food; Kodo and Hearfey serve Western fast food; Halawani serves local variants of Shawerma; and Shawermatak has pioneered drive-through sales of Shawerma.

Open-air art

During the oil boom in the late 1970s and 1980s, there was a focused civic effort to bring art to Jeddah's public areas. As a result, Jeddah contains a large number of modern open-air sculptures and works of art, typically situated in roundabouts, making the city one of the largest open-air art galleries in the world. Sculptures include works by a variety of artists, ranging from the obscure to international stars such as Jean/Hans Arp, César Baldaccini, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Joan Miró and Victor Vasarely. They often depict elements of traditional Saudi culture: coffee pots, incense burners, palm trees, etc. The fact that Islamic tradition prohibits the depiction of living creatures, notably the human form, has made for some very creative modern art, ranging from the tasteful to the bizarre and downright hideous. These include a mounted defunct propeller plane, a giant geometry set, a giant bicycle, and a huge block of concrete with several cars protruding from it at odd angles.

Museums and collections

There may be about a dozen museums or collections in Jeddah, with a wide variety of educational aim and professionalism.[18] Some of these are the Jeddah Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography run by the Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums, the Jeddah Municipal Museum, the Naseef House, the private Abdul Rauf Hasan Khalil Museum and the private Arts Heritage Museum.

Media

Jeddah is served by four major Arabic-language newspapers, Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Madina, Okaz, and Al-Bilad, as well as two major English-language newspapers, the Saudi Gazette and Arab News. Okaz and Al-Madina are the primary newspapers of Jeddah and some other Saudi cities, with over a million readers; they focus mainly on issues that affect the city.

Destination Jeddah is a monthly magazine directed at locals, new residents, incoming visitors, religious tourists, and the developing tourism business sector. The magazine serves as a guide to the city's sights and attractions, restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

Jeddah represents the largest radio and television market in Saudi Arabia. Television stations serving the city area include Saudi TV1, Saudi TV2, Saudi TV Sports, Al Ekhbariya, the ART channels network and hundreds of cable, satellite and other specialty television providers.

The Jeddah TV Tower is a 250 m (820 ft) high television tower with an observation deck. The tower started construction in 2006 and was finished in 2007; it is a part of the Ministry of Information in Jeddah.

KAU Football Stadium

Sport

Jeddah hosts the oldest sport clubs in Saudi Arabia. Al-Ittihad was the first club in the country, established in 1927.

Accent

The Jeddah City area has a distinctive regional speech pattern called the Hejazi dialect, alternatively known as Meccan or Makkawi. It is often considered to be one of the most recognizable accents within the Arabic language.

Pronunciations in Hejazi differ from other Gulf dialects in some respects. The Classical Arabic qaaf (ق) is pronounced as /g/ sound, as in "get". Hijazi Arabic is also conservative with respect to the sound of the pronunciation of the letter ğim (ج), which is very close to the two sounds considered, by specialists, to be the best candidates for the way it was pronounced in Classical Arabic—namely, the voiced palatal plosive /ɟ/ and the palatalized velar stop /gʲ/.[citation needed] This stands in contrast with many dialects in the region, which use /g/ or /ʒ/ for ğim instead. Some speakers replace the interdental /θ/ with /t/ or /s/.

Life

Life in Jeddah is different from many cities in Saudi Arabia. Jeddah is a cosmopolitan city, more so than any other city in the country; it has many people coming from all over the world, who share their cultures. It also has many historical buildings with traditional designs, and it has numerous buildings near the beach. The city has very nice beaches and a corniche where people like to spend time and relax. Jeddah has the highest fountain in the world, named King Fahd's Fountain. During the annual Jeddah Festival, many games and activities are held in the city. There are shopping sprees, water skiing competitions, art exhibitions, and music festivals. Jeddah markets are known for their reasonable prices. One of the most famous shopping districts in Jeddah is Tahlia Street.

Cityscape

Old Jeddah

The Old City with its traditional multistory buildings and merchant houses has lost ground to more modern developments. Nonetheless, the Old City continues to shape the identity of the Saudi culture, preserving such areas as the Gabil Market (Gabil Street), Naseef House, and other traditional landmarks.

The Old City is an attraction to non-Saudis who visit Jeddah on business (Saudi issues visit visas for business and religious purposes only). On Eid holidays, locals visit the area for traditional-style carnivals aimed at families and children.

Resorts

The city has many popular resorts, including Durrat Al-Arus, Al-Nawras Movenpick resort at the Red Sea Corniche, Crystal Resort, Al Nakheel Village, Sands, and Sheraton Abhur. Many are renowned for their preserved Red Sea marine life and offshore coral reefs.

Hotels

The increasing occupancy rates of hotels every year depends on the number of tourists and hajj pilgrims. In the last few years, Jeddah received more than 2.5 millions pilgrims per year.

Landmarks

Jeddah's King Fahd's Fountain is a major landmark built in the 1980s and listed by the Guinness World Records organization as the highest water jet in the world at 312 metres (1,024 feet).[19] It can be seen from a great distance. The fountain was donated to the City of Jeddah by the late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, after whom it was named.

The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), convened 18 December 1973. The bank officially began its activities on 20 October 1975.

Education

As of 2005, Jeddah had 849 public and private schools for male students and another 1,179 public and private schools for female students.[20] The medium of instruction in both public and private schools is typically Arabic, with emphasis on English as a second language. However, some private schools administered by foreign entities use the English language as the medium of instruction.

For higher education, the city has several universities and colleges, including the following:

Transport

Airport

Jeddah is served by King Abdulaziz International Airport. The airport has four passenger terminals. One is the Hajj Terminal, a special outdoor terminal covered by enormous tents, which was constructed to handle the more than two million pilgrims who pass through the airport during the Hajj season. The Southern Terminal is used for Saudi Airlines flights, while the Northern Terminal serves foreign and other national airlines. The Royal Terminal is a special terminal reserved for VIPs, foreign kings and presidents, and the Saudi Royal Family. A portion of the airport was used by CoalitionB-52 heavy bombers during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

2009 Jeddah floods

In November 2009 heavy floods affected the city and other areas of Makkah Province.[22][23] The floods were described by civil defence officials as the worst in 27 years.[24] As of 29 November 2009 (2009 -11-29), some 106 people were reported to have been killed,[25] and more than 350 were missing.[22] Some roads were under a metre (three feet) of water on 26 November, and many of the victims were believed to have drowned in their cars. At least 3,000 vehicles were swept away or damaged.[26][22][25] The death toll was expected to rise as flood waters receded, allowing rescuers to reach stranded vehicles.[27]

Sister cities

Jeddah has 24 sister cities (aka "twin towns") which are selected based on economic, cultural and political criteria.

Jeddah (جدّة, also spelled Jiddah) is
on the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia. It is the second largest
city, with a population of approximately 3,400,000, and the major
commercial center of the country.

Understand

Jeddah has been a port and trading city for centuries, which is
reflected in its cosmopolitan mix of inhabitants. Today, it is the
major commercial center of Saudi Arabia. It also has many
government offices. Jeddah is known in the kingdom for its shopping
districts, restaurants and cafes. It also hosts the Jeddah
Corniche (waterfront area), which is the largest in the
Kingdom with a great bunch of hotels, beaches and resorts clustered
around it.

It is also the main entry point, either by air or sea, for
pilgrims making the Hajj
pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two sacred cities of
Islam. Both are a few hours inland from Jeddah.

Orientation

Jeddah is a huge city that sprawls along the coast of the Red
Sea, connected together by the Corniche, a seaside
avenue full of bizarre sculptures and nearly 30 km long. The old
city or al-Balad, on the southern side of modern
Jeddah, is a crumbling but fascinating warren of multi-story houses
made from coral. The main thoroughfare Medina Road
starts from the northern side of al-Balad and runs all the way to
the city.

Get in

By plane

Jeddah is served by King Abdulaziz International
Airport (IATA: JED) is the
largest airport in the Kingdom and is well served by airlines
around the world. Unfortunately, despite its importance and the
Kingdom's wealth, the airport is in miserable shape with dust,
flies and poor to nonexistent signage, although as of 2008 it is
undergoing a much-needed renovation.

There are two regular terminals, with the South
Terminal, used by domestic Saudi airlines and all
Saudi Airways flights, and the North Terminal,
used by all other international flights. Located on opposite sites
of the massive apron, the two are nearly 8 km apart and the only
way to connect is by taxi. A taxi to the city from either will cost
around SR50, so agree on the fare before you set off.

There are also two special terminals, used exclusively for Hajj
pilgrims heading directly to Mecca, which are basically enormous
tents of fiberglass fabric on reinforced concrete poles and steel
cables. Driving to the normal non-Hajj terminal, you pass between
the two. In season, this lets you admire rows of 747s parked
alongside the Hajj terminals.

Get around

By car

Many of the hotels chains have a "water taxi" or a small minivan
that will take you to the mall and main shopping areas. Taxis are
very inexpensive, with most 10 minute rides costing about SR10-20
(about $2-4). There are two types of taxis: one is yellow and will
have a sign that says, simply, TAXI. They are usually cheaper, but
a little "rougher" on the inside and out and and usually are not
air conditioned. If you're looking for better quality, opt for the
white "Limousine" taxis which are of better quality. Limousine
taxis are about $1-3 more expensive.

Many rental agencies like Avis or Budget will rent you a 2008
mid-size car for the price of SR100-140 (about $30-50) per day.
You'll also find a bargain when it comes to fuel, as Saudi Arabia
has some of the cheapest petrol prices in the world. The streets
are wide and signs are written in both Arabic and English. Look for
maps in the libraries or big supermarkets.

By bus

Buses are not a commonly-used means of transportation in Jeddah
even though you can ride one for SR1-2 from certain main streets to
Albalad (downtown). It is, however, a very interesting way to enjoy
traditional Arab music and the sound of people mixing together all
while enjoying sights during the ride. Smaller buses are mostly
private so the owner is responsible for cleanliness. Larger buses
are provided by the government, which are big and clean but don't
follow a schedule, so consider using the smaller buses if you're on
a specific timetable.

By boat

Boats are not particularly a means of transportation, but rather
a way to to enjoy the views of the Red Sea. You can catch boats in
Obhur north of Jeddah at the marina; a one hour ride in a small
boat is around SR200 (US$55).

See

Al-Balad (Old Town)

Jeddah's top sight is al-Balad, or the old
town. The city wall has long since been torn down, but the old
gates still mark where it once stood. Within you'll find a warren
of ancient buildings and traditional souqs (markets), and the
teetering, multistory coral houses that Jeddah is
famous for. Unfortunately, coral is not a very durable building
material, and most of the buildings are in disrepair.

Souq al-Alawi. At
the heart of the old city, coral houses line both sides of this
busy market street. A photography permit is theoretically necessary
(inquire at the office behind Naseef house), but in practice nobody
seems to bat an eyelid as long as you don't stick your camera in
people's faces without permission.edit

Naseef House. 5-9 PM
(closed Fri?). The former house of
one of Jeddah's main trading families is now being renovated as a
museum of sorts. Great views from the top floors when it's
open.SR20. edit

Other

The Jeddah Corniche offers spectacular views of the Red Sea.
Check out the main shopping street on Tahliya for interesting
wares, and if you're looking for good quality gold, try the Gold
Souq where you can bargain for 18k and 24k gold by weight. The King
Fahd Fountain is not only the biggest fountain in Jeddah, but also
the world!

Do

Scuba diving

Scuba diving is
a major draw for expats in the Kingdom, although the Saudis
themselves seem oblivious to the treasures that await offshore.
Because of Jeddah's location on the Red Sea, the flora and fauna
are quite similar to what you'd see on Egypt's Red Sea Coast or off the Sinai Peninsula, only minus all the tourists.
Visibility can be spectacular (30-40m is common) and the corals are
virtually untouched. There are plenty of interesting sites to
explore like the Chicken Wreck, a boat carrying
tons of frozen chicken that hit the reef and sunk at a depth of
10-18m. Most of the better dive sites are around one hour out to
sea by speed boat.

The Red Sea gets chilly in the winter, with water temperatures
dropping to 22°C, so you'll want to use a 5mm wetsuit with hood. In
summer, temperatures climb up to a much more balmy 29°C, and 3mm
shorty or 1mm diveskin is plenty.

Desert Sea Drivers, Obhur (40 km north of Jeddah), ☎+966-2- 6561807, [1]. The oldest and largest diving outfit in Jeddah,
which puts three boats out to sea on a busy weekend. Uses fast and
comfortable custom-built dive boats, and all trips include a tasty
hot lunch. Gear rental and transfers to/from central Jeddah (SR150
return) extra. Offers on-site accommodation and can also arrange
tourist visas to Saudi for diver groups with at least 2 months'
notice.SR200/250/300 for 1/2/3 boat
dives. edit

Sail
Island. When the blazing Saudi
Arabian sun becomes too much for you to handle, try checking out
the water park at Sail Island. The park was built on artificial
peninsula and is covered by several sail-like tents, which offer
shade while you enjoy the pool and recreation facilities. A great
spot for children.edit

Jungle Land. An
amusement park with rollercoasters, a circus, and bungee
jumpingedit

Eat

Jeddah is full of restaurants with almost every cuisine
imaginable and eating out is part of the city's culture. All the
restaurants have separate sections for single men and for families.
Dating is forbidden, but most restaurants will allow a couple into
the family section without question. All businesses close for
prayer for about half an hour at noon and at sunset. They close
again an hour after sunset for about 45 minutes. If you like to eat
early, you can often stay in a restaurant during prayer time.
Saudis tend to eat late, well after the evening prayer.

Al Baik - Broasted Chicken, one of the most popular fast food
chain of Saudi Arabia available in Jeddah, Makkah, Madina &
yanbu only. Al Baik has 25 branches in Jeddah.And Al- Tazaj is also
famous for it's dishes as it serve saudi dishes as well as fast
food.

The standard cheap meal is the shawarma - giant layers of beef
or chicken turning on a vertical spit. Thin slices are cut off and
served with vegetables, garlic and sauce in pita bread. You can
also find a few falafel shops or eat at boofias (cornershops).And
more thing is very cheap that is Homus which the paste of
white chic peas and caster oil and is very tasty. Try the Filipino
Souk near Saudia City. Ask for the Pakistani area Kababish. There's
a group of shops and restaurants with very low prices. Most of the
American fast food franchises can be found in Jeddah. Such as:

McDonald's

Burger King

KFC

Hardees

and other fast food restaurants such as:

Kudu

Herfy

Sultan Al Burger

Sub way

Quiznos Sub

Paninos

Al Tazaj

Domino's Pizza

Little Caesars

Pizza Hut

Papa Johns

Barrio Fiesta, Al-Mahmal Centre top floor
(al-Balad). Very popular Filipino eatery offering a gamut
of Filipino fare like kare-kare. Basic fried rice and such
for under SR10, but most main courses (SR30-50) come in huge
portions designed to be shared.edit

Drink

Like all Saudi Arabian cities, you aren't going to find much
nightlife revolving around alcohol in Jeddah. What you should be
able to find are shisha cafes and a large variety of
coffeeshops such as, Java Lounge, Vertigo, Starbucks, Mugs &
Beans, Costa Coffee and Second Cup. Non-alcoholic beer is available
in restaurants along with non-alcoholic cocktails and other
drinks.

While alcohol is banned in Saudi Arabia, you'll probably be able
to find plenty of drinking among Western ex-pats at private parties
in Jeddah.

Sleep

Outside Hajj season, hotels in Jeddah are generally cheaper than
those in Riyadh. The usual international chains are well
represented.

Jeddah Marriott, Falasteen Rd, ☎+966-2-6714000,
[4]. Older but well-maintained
property. Deep pool (no women), large gym, good breakfast. The main
downsides are the mildly awkward location (little of interest
nearby) and the poor soundproofing, esp. as there are four mosques
nearby.US$120. edit

Qasr Al Sharq, +966-2-6599999, [6]. The "Palace of
the Orient" is Jeddah's attempt at a "seven-star" luxury hotel.
Decoration is (way) over the top, and so are the prices. Run by
Hilton.

Stay safe

While not as strict as Riyadh, Jeddah still falls under Islamic
law. Read, understand and follow the guidelines in the Saudi Arabia article
to stay out of trouble.

Local women normally wear a hijab (headscarf)
and abaya (long black overgarment) to cover her
head and entire body. Abayas, however, are not required for
non-Muslim or Western-looking women. Only the hijab is required for
all women. Men should avoid wearing shorts.

While you may be able to find alcohol at private parties, it is
still forbidden in Saudi Arabia. Corporal punishment for Westerners
is rare, but it has happened on occasion.

Get out

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